Massachusetts Witch Trials
More than Salem
Summary
The Massachusetts Witchcraft Trials occurred between 1638 and 1693. During this period, at least 254 individuals were accused of witchcraft in Massachusetts. 209 of these were complained of, implicated in court, questioned, arrested, and/or imprisoned. The other 45 were defamed, named socially but not complained of legally, or have been linked to witchcraft accusations by incomplete evidence. 37 people were indicted apart from Salem, and 81 were indicted during the Salem Witch-Hunt of 1692-1693. In total, 24 individuals were executed by hanging and 1 was pressed to death. At least 6 others perished while in jail, including an infant girl. To date, the names of 31 of the accused individuals have been cleared by legislation. However, the 8 convicted in Boston have not been acknowledged.
The first execution victim was Margaret Jones of Charlestown, who was hanged in Boston on June 15, 1648. The last executions occurred on September 22, 1692, when 8 innocent people were hanged in Salem.
The accused came from 39 towns: Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Billerica, Boston, Boxford, Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelmsford, Danvers (formerly Salem Village), Dorchester, Durham, Gloucester, Groton, Hadley, Hampton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Kittery, Lynn, Malden, Manchester, Marblehead, Newbury, Northampton, Piscataqua, Portsmouth, Reading, Rowley, Rumney Marsh, Salem, Salisbury, Scituate, Springfield, Topsfield, Watertown, Wells, Woburn, and York.
5 hanged in boston (They Have not been exonerated Or received an apology)
Margaret Jones of Charlestown, 1648
Elizabeth Kendall of Cambridge, between 1647 and 1651
Alice Lake of Dorchester, about 1650
Anne Hibbins of Boston, 1656
Goody Glover of Boston, 1688
3 convicted in boston but not hanged (They Have not been exonerated Or received an apology)
Hugh Parsons of Springfield, 1652 Elizabeth Morse of Newbury, 1680 Eunice Cole, 1656 (also prosecuted 1673 & 1680)
29 indicted in boston but not convicted (They Have not Received an apology)
Jane Hawkins, 1638 Thomas Jones, 1648 Mary (Lewis) Parsons, 1651* John Bradstreet, 1652 Alice Stratton, 1652 Jane Collins, 1653 Goodwife Evans, 1656, 1662-3 Jane Walford, 1656 & 1669 Mary (Bliss) Parsons, 1656 & 1674-5 William Brown, 1657 Mary Holman, 1659 Elizabeth Bailey, 1659 Winifred Holman, 1660 Goodwife Gleason, 1665 John Godfrey, 1665 Robert Williams, 1669 Ann Burt, 1670 Anna Edmunds, 1673 Mary Ingham, 1676 Caleb Powell, 1679 Rachel Fuller, 1680 Isabella Towle, 1680 Margaret Gifford, 1680 Mary Hale, 1681 Hannah Jones, 1682 Mary Webster, 1683 James Fuller, 1683 Unknown Woman, 1688 Mary Randall, 1691
48 imprisoned during the salem witch-hunt but not indicted (or no indictment exists) (They Have not Received an apology)
John Alden Edward Bishop, Jr Sarah Bishop Mary Black Sarah Carrier Bethiah Carter, Sr Elizabeth Cary Sarah Churchill Mary Clark Sarah Cole Elizabeth Colson Mary Colson Deliverance Dane Phoebe Day Mary DeRich Elizabeth Dicer Mehitable Downing Lydia Dustin* Joseph Emmons Abigail Faulkner, Jr Dorothy Faulkner Dorothy Good Mary Green Deliverance Hobbs William Hobbs John Howard Frances Hutchins Abigail Johnson Sarah Morey Sarah Osburn* Sarah Parker Joan Penny Benjamin Procter Sarah Procter Sarah Rice Susannah Roots Mary Rowe John Sawdy Ann Sears Martha Sparks Roger Toothaker* Johannah Tyler Martha Tyler Rachel Vincent Mary Warren Ruth Wilford Sarah Wilson, Jr Sarah Wilson, Sr
16 formally accused outside of the salem witch-hunt but not indicted (or no indictment exists) (They Have not Received an apology)
Unknown Woman 1680s Unknown Woman 1693 Unknown Woman 1693 Unknown Woman 1689 Unknown Woman 1688 Unknown Woman 1688 Unknown Woman 1671 Thomas Wells 1669 Goodwife Batchelor 1655 Unknown Woman 1682 Unknown Woman 1679 Unknown Woman 1680s Unknown Woman 1680s Unknown Woman 1680s Sarah Merrick 1651 Bessie Sewell 1651
37 INformally accused, named, or incarcerated for unknown reasons during the salem witchcraft trials of 1692-1693 (Not in the scope of this project due to lack of evidence confirming the colony took action against them on witchcraft charges)
Goody Bates Goody Black John Busse Francis Dane Goody Darling Joseph Emmons Nicholas Frost Goody Gale Sarah Hale Thomas Hardy Eleanor Hollingsworth James How Goody Lawrence John Lee Cotton Mather Maria Mather Ann Moody Mary Obinson Mary Phips Dean Robinson Nathaniel Saltonstall Jeremiah Shepard Goody Stevens Sarah Swift Margaret Thatcher Goody White Judah White Goody Wilkinson Samuel Willard Mrs. Thatcher's maid Goody Wilkinson's sister Nathaniel Dane's manservant Sarah Davis of Newbury Rebecca Chamberlain Mary Cox John Durrant Thomas Ryer
19 hanged in salem (They Have been exonerated but have not received an apology)
Bridget Bishop of Salem Martha Carrier of Andover Mary Parker of Andover Samuel Wardwell Sr of Andover Elizabeth How of Ipswich Wilmot Redd of Marblehead Margaret Scott of Rowley George Jacobs Sr of Salem Alice Parker of Salem Ann Pudeator of Salem Martha Cory of Salem Village John Procter of Salem Sarah Good of Salem Village** Rebecca Nurse of Salem Village (Proctor’s Ledge, Site of the Salem Hangings) John Willard of Salem Village Mary Esty of Topsfield Sarah Wilds of Topsfield George Burroughs of Wells Susannah Martin of Amesbury
1 pressed to death in salem (They Have been exonerated but have not received an apology)
Giles Cory of Salem Village
11 convicted in salem but not hanged (They Have been exonerated but have not received an apology)
Abigail Faulkner, Sr Ann Foster* Elizabeth Johnson, Jr Mary Lacey, Sr Sarah Wardwell Dorcas Hoar Rebecca Eames Mary Post Elizabeth Procter Mary Bradbury Abigail Hobbs
50 indicted in salem (They Have not Received an apology)
Abigail Barker Mary Barker William Barker, Jr William Barker, Sr Mary Bridges, Jr Mary Bridges, Sr Sarah Bridges Richard Carrier Edward Farrington Eunice Frye Sarah Hawkes Elizabeth Johnson, Sr Rebecca Johnson, Sr Stephen Johnson Mary Lacey, Jr Mary Marston Mary Osgood Susannah Post Henry Salter Hannah Tyler Mary Tyler Mercy Wardwell Job Tookey Mary Toothaker Daniel Eames Hannah Post Margaret Prince Hannah Bromage Martha Emerson Rachel Clinton Sarah Bassett Sarah Cole Thomas Farrar, Sr Elizabeth Hart Sarah Dustin Jane Lilly Mary Taylor John Jackson, Jr John Jackson, Sr Candy Mary English Philip English Margaret Jacobs Abigail Soames William Procter Sarah Buckley Rebecca Jacobs Tituba Mary Witheridge Sarah Cloyce
27 formally accused in salem (They Have not Received an apology)
Arthur Abbott Nehemiah Abbott Jr Daniel Andrew John Busse Andrew Carrier Thomas Carrier Jr Hannah Carroll Bethiah Carter Jr Rebecca Dike Ann Dolliver Joseph Draper Esther Elwell John Flood Elizabeth Fosdick Nicholas Frost Thomas Hardy Margaret Hawkes Mary Ireson Elizabeth Jackson George Jacobs Jr Rebecca Johnson Jr Elizabeth Paine Sarah Pease Joseph Procter Abigail Rowe Rachel Slue Margaret Toothaker
8 sued accusers for slander (Not in the scope of this project)
Widow Marshfield 1649 Grace Dutch 1653 Elizabeth Perkins 1653 Sarah Vinson 1653 Goodwife Holmes 1660 Jane James 1667 Edith Crawford 1667 Alice Beamon 1677
* Died in Jail ** Imprisoned with her infant daughter, who died in jail
Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project 